This is a list of the current and past directors of the National Intelligence Service of South Korea and its predecessor organisations, the Korean Central Intelligence Agency and the Agency for National Security Planning.
| Name | Hangul | Hanja | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kim Jong-pil | 김종필 | 金鍾泌 | 1961-05-20 - 1963-01-06 |
| Kim Yong-soon | 김용순 | 金容珣 | 1963-01-07 - 1963-02-20 |
| Kim Jae-choon | 김재춘 | 金在春 | 1963-02-21 - 1963-07-11 |
| Kim Hyung-wook | 김형욱 | 金炯旭 | 1963-07-12 - 1969-10-20 |
| Kim Kye-won | 김계원 | 金桂元 | 1969-10-21 - 1970-12-20 |
| Lee Hu-rak | 이후락 | 李厚洛 | 1970-12-21 - 1973-12-02 |
| Shin Jik-soo | 신직수 | 申稙秀 | 1973-12-03 - 1976-12-03 |
| Kim Jae-kyu | 김재규 | 金載圭 | 1976-12-04 - 1979-10-26 |
| Lee Hee-sung | 이희성 | 李熺性 | 1979-10-30 - 1979-12-12 |
| Yoon Il-gyun | 윤일균 | 尹鎰均 | 1979-12-13 - 1980-04-13 |
| Chun Doo-hwan | 전두환 | 全斗煥 | 1980-04-14 - 1980-07-17 |
| Yoo Hak-sung | 유학성 | 兪學聖 | 1980-07-18 - 1982-06-01 |
| Roh Shin-young | 노신영 | 盧信永 | 1982-06-02 - 1985-02-18 |
| Chang Se-dong | 장세동 | 張世東 | 1985-02-19 - 1987-05-25 |
| Ahn Moo-hyuk | 안무혁 | 安武赫 | 1987-05-26 - 1988-05-06 |
| Bae Myong-in | 배명인 | 裵命仁 | 1988-05-07 - 1988-12-04 |
| Park Se-jik | 박세직 | 朴世直 | 1988-12-05 - 1989-07-18 |
| Suh Dong-kwon | 서동권 | 徐東權 | 1989-07-19 - 1992-03-30 |
| Lee Sang-yun | 이상연 | 李相淵 | 1992-03-31 - 1992-10-08 |
| Lee Hyun-Woo | 이현우 | 李賢雨 | 1992-10-09 - 1993-02-25 |
| Kim Deok | 김 덕 | 金 悳 | 1993-02-26 - 1994-12-23 |
| Kwon Young-hae | 권영해 | 權寧海 | 1994-12-24 - 1998-03-04 |
| Lee Jong-chan | 이종찬 | 李鍾贊 | 1998-03-04 - 1999-05-25 |
| Chun Yong-taek | 천용택 | 千容宅 | 1999-05-26 - 1999-12-23 |
| Lim Dong-won | 임동원 | 林東源 | 1999-12-24 - 2001-03-26 |
| Shin Kuhn | 신 건 | 辛 建 | 2001-03-27 - 2003-04-24 |
| Ko Young-koo | 고영구 | 高榮九 | 2003-04-25 - 2005-07-11 |
| Kim Seung-kew | 김승규 | 金昇圭 | 2005-07-11 - 2006-11-23 |
| Kim Man-bok | 김만복 | 金萬福 | 2006-11-23 - 2008-02-29 |
| Kim Sung-ho | 김성호 | 金成浩 | 2008-03-26 - 2009-02-12 |
| Won Sei-hoon | 원세훈 | 元世勳 | 2009-02-12 - present |